Wilmington, NC (August 28, 2023) - CFCC Volleyball hosted its annual Cape Fear Invitational tournament this past weekend: welcoming in top programs from across the East Coast to compete in the Joe & Barbara Schwartz Center, including their conference rivals and former NJCAA Division II National Volleyball Champions, the Richard Bland Statesmen. After hosting their NJCAA/NCAA Round Up exhibition tournament at home the weekend prior, the Sea Devils were excited to step onto the court with some game experience under their belt against other tough opponents.
In their first matchup vs. USC Union (Division I), Cape Fear managed to earn a 3-0 sweep with 16 aces as a team. CFCC's competitive serves allowed them to control the game, while their communication on the floor powered them through to the end of the third. Mackenzie Davis earned 11 kills to start the Sea Devils off strong in their home tournament.
Cape Fear then faced Walters State (Division II, Region 7) - the opponent the Sea Devils defeated last season on their home court to punch their ticket to the 2022 NJCAA Tournament in Cedar Rapids, IA. While Cape Fear started off strong, Walters State was able to go on a run early and break down the serving rhythm of CFCC. The Sea Devils struggled to communicate defensively and missed a few key digs that ultimately put Walters State on the board. While they did their best to battle through it and make a solid comeback in the fourth set, it wasn't enough to steal back the win from their division rival. Newcomer Quincy Vanderhorst played a major role in keeping Cape Fear in the fight with 13 kills, 10 digs, and 19 assists.
Moving into Saturday morning, Cape Fear faced off with Lake Sumter (Division II, Region 8). Last season, the Sea Devils took on Lake Sumter at their invitational tournament in Leesburg, FL, and were swept 0-3 on the road. This time around, however, Cape Fear was prepared to lock in together after the previous night's solid efforts in the fourth set. London Ipsen earned 18 kills and 15 digs, while Mackenzie Davis found her rhythm again with 12. Leah Davis also stepped up with 16 digs to solidify their 3-1 win. The match was an overall team effort and showcased how this team has a unique ability to bounce back from hard times.
The Sea Devils finished off the tournament weekend against Spartanburg Methodist (Division I). The Sea Devils were patient and poised as they fought through long rallies and closed out the match 3-1. London Ipsen came in clutch once again with 15 kills, while Alivia McNally controlled the movement with 23 assists. Quincy Vanderhorst was still a force to be reckoned with as she earned 21 assists for the Sea Devils. Abby Morse was able to sync up close to the net with 6 kills and 4 blocks.
"I'm really pleased with our ball control this weekend, as well as our ability to fight through tough spots," says Head Volleyball Coach Colby Rosser. "We were in a lot of tight sets and we showed poise and fortitude throughout. It's nice to see us show so much resilience early and we got a lot of great feedback to get back in the gym and polish some things up."
Cape Fear will travel to Pitt CC for their first Region 10 Conference matchup on Thursday, September 7th at 6 PM in Winterville, NC.
